Everlasting: The Promise

Chapter 30: A game where the strongest stayed on the top

In Purple Lightning Empire, in the palace, the harem gathered up in the garden again for their daily meeting without the empress.

Some were gossiping, eating and laughing while the others just stayed silent and tried to make themselves invisible.

This time, there were 13 of them who lost against the Empress and married lowly officials. If they continued like this then they will also end up just like them.

This was a game, a game where the strongest stayed on the top.

(Author: As for where they got this thinking this author doesn't know.)

Rule 1: They had to get the Emperor to favour them the most.

Rule 2: You can get as many underlings as you want for the fight, but if they are married out then they become useless.

Rule 3: Survive and don't give up till the end!

There were originally 12 of them who had a strong backer but the Empress had already defeated 5 out of them. Those who had a strong backer had a bigger chance to survive, it can be seen as they had been able to survive for 11 years. But those who had no backers... they didn't last even 2 years before they were married off to a lowly official.

Their daily routine in the beginning was to get information of where they can get a chance to meet the Emperor. But because he only attends court and nothing else, the only chance they got to meet with him was during a banquet.

Now they are only lazing around, waiting for an opportunity to show itself when the Emperor is alone before they could strike.

The last time when the Emperor was waiting alone in his chambers they were notified too late, when they have heard about it and went there the Empress had already arrived and entered.

Their only chance slipped out of their hands before they even knew it. Will they die as virgins? Was there anything as bad as this!?

While the usual tea party was going on in the afternoon an unusual guest showed up... The Empress... and behind her the Emperor.

Surprise filled them which was followed by the joy of being able to see their aim right before their eyes but that was later shot down by the Empress's existence that couldn't be forgotten any longer.

They greeted them formally, showing some skin here and there for the man in front of them.

"Please rise!" The Empress walked forward to the pavilon after letting them stand up, the Emperor following beside her. The other concibunes did as was told then also followed them.

They took their seat and tried their best to look alluring and dignified while the Empress just sat down when a certain someone took their seat on her lap.

The fight lasted for a minute, but it was so hidden that no one noticed. Naturally, the winner was the Emperor, or else he would be sitting on the floor.

"Ladies, I'm sorry to tell you this but..." Started the Empress, some pity evident in her voice and face. Just what could make her look like this?

"... There are no more unmarried officials in the empirr. In the Jade Dragon Empire there might be still some but they are very few. I'm sad to say this but there is a little chance of you marrying in this decade."

"..." They were the Emperor's wifes, why would they need to marry someone else? Did they discuss this? When and where?

"Uhm, Your Majesty, we don't understand. Why would this concern us? We are the Emperor's women, why should we be sad about the empire not having anymore bachelors?" Asked the 3rd Strongest Backer.

"Hm?"

"Huh?"

They voiced in unison, the Emperor and Empress looked at them as if not understanding what they were talking about. The Emperor was cute and the Empress was funny to look at, something inside them cracked.

"... Did you read the envelope given out to you when you entered the palace?" The Empress's maid asked.

They looked at each other. Wasn't that one they all burned together on their first night in the palace, because it was something from the Empress? It kinda became a tradition that the concibunes shared together because of boredom.

A maid quickly took out an envelope.

'Oh, it looked like that one.' They thought in unision.

The maid started to read it out and with each sentence the faces of the concibunes turned a shade darker.

Their fate was already set in stone but they didn't know? They were like jokes, for gods sake!

Spring Fairy went closer to look at the paper that the maid was reading and scanned it through. Her brows furrowed. She brought the envelope to Lan Se so that she could also take a look.

The both of them looked and looked, Lan Se's face still didn't moved. She gestured to Spring Fairy to tell the Empress their problem, and Spring Fairy did as she was told.

The imperial couple looked at her questioningly.

"Uhm... It's a little embrassing to say it but..." Flower Fairy looked down. She didn't dare to look into their eyes.

"What is it?" Asked the Emperor with his voice that was just like a bell.

"That... The problem is..." She still didn't know how to say it. It was embrassing.

Lan Se came up from behind and gave Spring Fairy a little pat to her head. She held out a paper with respect towards the Empress, it was understandable as the Emperor was lazing around on her lap.

'We can't read it, Your Majesty.' Were the words written on the paper.

They really... really didn't think of this. All they have been thinking about was the army, government and the borders. They had forgotten out an important thing. Teaching writing and reading to the foreign concibunes sent here.